Coral ‘Reef’ Brings Puerto Rico to Downtown DC

Every time I look around this downtown Washington, DC, condo, my bo-dar (that’s BOHO radar) bleeps fast and furious. Yes, we’re in the nation’s capital, but swaths of coral paint keep me thinking tropical isles, sandy beaches, sun and fun.

Laura Metzler photo

Given that the owners are from Puerto Rico and missed their homeland in this urban new-build, that’s no surprise. That’s why they engaged interior/event designer Kerra Michele, of Kerra Michele Interiors, who chased those blues away with the right color in all the right places.

And given that I live in come-fall-come-gray-'til-spring Indiana, it's not a bad idea for perking up my own home environment (if I can sell Chris on it). I simply love how this color pulls all those open spaces together and draws you through them.

Let’s take a closer look… 

Laura Metzler photo

Laura Metzler photo

Laura Metzler photo

Laura Metzler photo

Laura Metzler photo

Laura Metzler photo

If you want more…

Interior and even designer Kerra Michele of Kerra Michele Interiors

• Get the details about this design project.
• Check out Kerra Michele’s other work.
• Shop (and follow!) both my Etsy and ebay stores for vintage finds, a few of my boho DIYs, and next-to-new surplus home decor. New merchandise gets added daily, so check both places often.
• Sign up to have BoHo Home posts sent to your inbox using the subscription link in the sidebar (top right). Or follow with Bloglovin, a social-media platform that allows you to set up an account and access all the blogs you want to read in one place.
• Find additional content from BoHo Home on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and Houzz, and give me a follow EVERYWHERE!! The more the merrier!

Take a ‘Page’ from the Boho Home How-To Manual

I’m absolutely smitten with the portfolio of interior stylist and photographer Carley Page. Her boho home wonderlands are like something straight out of the summer of love.

Take the living room in the above photo, for starters. Don’t you just adore that curvy sofa? I lived through the 1960s and 70s, and the olive green I remember never looked so luscious. And what I wouldn’t give to go on safari for that cute elephant table/plant stand!

Carley Page Interiors

This bedroom is another case in point. Its layered area rugs and mega-tassel throw put me in a Moroccan frame of mind. How about you?

Can’t go on an actual safari? Just spend an hour or two here…

Carley Page Interiors

Carley Page Interiors

Carley Page Interiors

Stairway to Heaven, right?

Wait-wait! There’s more!

Carley Page Interiors

So this would be minimal boho? Whatever you call it, I love it. Dig that cool fireplace!

Carley Page Interiors

Global, boho, vintage, and sophisticated all in one. Love the layering on the bed!

Carley Page Interiors

And this sleek and glamorous mix of classic midcentury modern and Moroccan knocks it out of the casbah!

Carley Page Interiors

Oh my oh my oh my oh my!! What a delicious combination—quilts and chintz meet Moroccan and vintage!

Carley Page Interiors

Here’s more vintage midcentury mixed with Moroccan. LOVE that sofa. And this room proves rugs are made for walls as well as floors.

Carley Page Interiors

I love the mix of casual and elegant in this bedroom. Those straightforward nightstands with the mismatched lamps really set off the vintage bed and bench. But the piece de resistance is that sweet pillow with the chinoiserie vase and flowers!

Carley Page Interiors

I wish my bookshelves looked this styled. I also wish my cacti grew that big! Actually, I'd be happy if they grew at all. Before they died, that is. But that's what comes of trying to grow them in the Midwest. Even outdoors in summer they languish.

Carley Page Interiors

Honestly, though, if this were MY foyer and MY settee, I’d stop worrying about dead cacti and never move from this spot. NEVER. And I'd langush BIG TIME. Langush my life away...

Want more? Of COURSE you do!

Carley Page Interiors

• Take in ALL of Carley’s portfolio. (Pretend you have a spot like the one above to curl up in with your laptop, tablet or phone.)
• Then when you're done oohing and aahing, hop on over to shop for your own boho and vintage items at my Etsy and ebay stores. While you’re there, give me a follow and check back often because I’m always adding new finds.
• Sign up to have BoHo Home posts sent to your inbox using the subscription link in the sidebar (top right). Or follow with Bloglovin, a social-media platform that allows you to set up an account and access all the blogs you want to read in one place.
• Find additional content from BoHo Home on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and Houzz, and give me a follow EVERYWHERE!! The more bohoho, the better!

Check out boho details in Charlotte Lucas design portfolio

“I like to remind my staff that we’re not saving lives,” says interior designer Charlotte Lucas. “Designing is supposed to be fun!” The proof is in the portfolio of this 33-year-old wonder based out of Charlotte, NC.

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

I, for one, am gaga for this breakfast banquette in which she married midcentury forms with color and classic prints. In fact, it’s hard to get me not to like any room with woven window blinds!

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

Daybeds in unexpected spots are all the rage these days, and this one could be in a child’s bedroom or the main seating of a boho living room. The classy art and accessories keep you guessing, while the happy child testifies to the cozy factor.

My favorite part? The tassels on the throw, of course. (And that unicorn…I want that unicorn!)

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

I love the mix of pattern in the wallpaper, window seat, and rug in this photo. And who would have chosen chartreuse for the woodwork and cabinetry? It’s a bold choice, but one that speaks volumes—all boho!

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

This hallway makes an equally bold statement in its mix of color and pattern. Another unusual color choice for cabinetry—salmon—ups the wow factor when mixed with a classic chinoiserie wallpaper scene, a regency bench, and a folkloric mix of textiles. (The scooter is cute, too!)

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

I’ve long been a fan of woodwork painted in unusual colors (meaning something other than white or off-white). And this green is so soothing and on-trend with Pantone’s Color of the Year, Greenery (actually, Farrow & Ball Lichen). 

The midcentury modern egg chair also makes a strong counterpoint to the classic lines of the bookshelf. And I have to admit, books arranged by color are growing on me. I like how they mimic the blocked colors in the artwork displayed here.

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

The classic campaign desk and regency chair mix so well with the antelope print rug and global print draperies in this study. That lamp that looks like crushed gold paper is a personal favorite for me! And oh, those deep green walls—be still my heart!

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

Lucas knows a soft gray sofa can change face at the drop of a hat. But who would want to give up the soft oranges and teals she's accessorized it with here?

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

The global prints in the sofa and its throw pillows contrast with the classic lines of the chest, lamp and other accessories in a way that reminds me of British Colonial. And speaking of that lamp, I sure could go for a closer look.

Charlotte Lucas Interior Design

Mixing pink and yellow was one of those design no-nos my mother warned me about. But I'm here to say, man-oh-man, was she ever wrong! This chinoiserie credenza is to-die-for, and I so want to see what the rest of that blue velvet chaise looks like.

If you want more…

House Beautiful

• Charlotte Lucas is profiled in “The Experts” feature in the January 2017 issue of House Beautiful. Get her design advice and see her top 10 favorite things, beginning on page 35.
• View Lucas’ online portfolio at Charlotte Lucas Interior Design.
• Follow Lucas on Pinterest and/or Instagram.
• Get BoHo Home sent directly to your inbox by using one of the subscription services listed below. Or, follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Tim Street-Porter captures moody boho home vibe again & again

Sometimes—but not nearly often enough—it’s all about the photographer. Tim Street-Porter’s portfolio is one of those times (& time again), being that it’s chock full of moody photos of homes decked out in scintillating boho décor, flushed with fabulous light.

See for yourself…

If you still haven’t been washed in enough boho beauty...

• See more of Street-Porter’s interiors portfolio. 
• Browse the rest of his portfolio.
• Check out (affiliate) book links below that feature his work.
• For new boho inspiration almost everyday, follow my blog with Bloglovin.